Developing Employees Develops Gaines
Sometimes employees consider work a job. Other times, it becomes a career – like with Project Manager & Estimator Jake Grammer. After 9 years with Gaines and Company, Jake has a bright future within the organization. For now, though, he takes every opportunity to grow and develop his skills and responsibilities one scoop of dirt at a time.
Jake Grammer started as a laborer for a utility supplier in Maryland straight out of high school. He worked his way to Warehouse Manager then Inside Sales. In 2015, Jake started as a Junior Estimator with Gaines and Company and worked on a crew when needed.
“Sometimes I would estimate in the morning then go out in the field in the afternoon when the utility crews needed help,” said Jake.
After working for four years Maryland, Jake transferred to Gaines’s North Carolina office. Jake works on a lot of turnkey site development projects for builders, as well as federal installation work at Fort Liberty.
He is responsible for projects from beginning to end, including submitting bids, negotiating, budgeting, managing the supply chain, maintaining schedules, and communicating with superintendents and owners.
“The most difficult part of my job is communication – or rather, effective communication,” said Jake.
Jake attends weekly and biweekly meetings. Large-scale projects, though, often have a lot of revisions. Jake’s primary focus is to ensure he provides customers with what they need, when they need it despite moving targets.
“We have a plan set and a wrench can be thrown into it because what we expect to happen didn’t—permit issues, design changes, or a job being pushed back. But to me, that makes my job enjoyable. Instead of being afraid of change, I embrace it,” said Jake.
Jake manages large-scale projects, like Allen Park and Silverstone in Knightdale, NC.
Jake’s agility makes him a clear leader within Gaines and Company. In fact, Jake recently attended the Carolinas Association of General Contractors (CAGC) Young Leader Conference for the region’s top young professionals in the construction industry. The program bolstered Jake’s confidence and knowledge through networking, growing leadership skills, and fine-tuning management skills.
“We believe that the best way to grow and develop our business is by first growing and developing our employees,” said Vice President David Gaines. “Jake is one of those employees who grasps on to every opportunity we give him. He is always eager to try new things, help other teams, and expand his knowledge. He’s a great asset to our team, and we are grateful that his impact on our organization continues to grow.”
Jake lives in N.C. with his wife, Mallory, and two young kids. He enjoys an active, fitness-focused lifestyle hiking, golfing, kayaking, spending time at the beach, and watching his son play ice hockey.
Gaines and Company is a full-service grading and excavation company with offices in Maryland and North Carolina. The organization has 70 years of experience in underground utilities, grading and excavating, sediment and erosion controls, and road work. Gaines and Company delivers safe, reliable, turnkey site development services in Maryland, North Carolina, Washington D.C., and Delaware on time and within budget.
